As shown in FIG. 1, a fork 1 for use in a forklift consists of a vertical portion 1a and a horizontal portion 1b. The vertical portion 1a of the fork 1 has an upper forkhook 3 welded to the upper rear surface thereof, which is hooked on a fork receiving bar or a finger bar 7 mounted on the front upper portion of a liftbracket 5. Also, the vertical fork portion 1a has a lower forkhook 9 welded to the lower rear surface thereof, which is engaged with a lower bar 11 on the front lower portion of the liftbracket 5.
FIG. 2 shows an example of a prior construction of an upper forkhook 3. This forkhook 3 has a beveled portion formed by chamfering the peripheral edge portions around the area where the forkhook is to be welded to the fork. Thus, each corner portion 15 at which a horizontal beveled surface and a vertical beveled surface of the bevel portion intersect presents a substantially rounded shape as shown in FIG. 3. A flat front surface or a contact surface 17 of this forkhook 3 which contacts the fork 1 is circumscribed by the beveled portion, and a groove 19 which, together with the fork 1, defines a pin hole extending vertically on the substantially central portion of the contact surface 17. Therefore, inclined edge portions 21 are formed between the upper and lower horizontal bevel surfaces of the beveled portion and the groove 19, respectively.
Such a forkhook 3 is fixed on the rear surface of the vertical fork portion 1a by welding as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. More specifically, the vertically disposed flat contact surface 17 of the forkhook 3 is held against the upper rear surface of the vertical fork portion 1a and the beveled portion about the contact surface 17 is overlaid with a weld 23.
Thus, when the forkhook 3 is attached to the fork 1, the groove 19 cooperates with the rear surface of the fork 1 to define the above-mentioned pin hole. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, a hub member 25 is disposed in this pin hole 19, and a locking pin 27 is detachably inserted into the hub member 25. As shown in FIG. 6, this locking pin 27 has a knob 29 attached at the upper end thereof, and a stopper pin 31 extends transversely through the lower portion of the knob 29. As best shown in FIG. 7, the hub member 27 has a through hole 33 and stopper notches 35 for engaging with the stopper pin 31. When the fork 1 is attached to the liftbracket, the locking pin 27 is inserted into the through hole 33 of the hub member 25 and the stopper pin 31 is engaged within the stopper notches 35 of the hub member 25. Concurrently, the locking pin 27 is inserted into a corresponding engaging hole 37 on the finger bar 7 of the liftbracket 5 to prevent the transverse movement of the fork 1.
However, when the forkhook 3 is being welded to the fork 1, the welding operation at the corner portions 15 of the beveled portion is difficult, and in particular the molten liquid weld bead is liable to drop from there. Also, the weld bead may drop from the inclined edge portions 21 into the groove 19. If the weld bead adheres on the side wall of the groove 19, the disposition of the hub member 25 will be unsatisfactory, and in the worst case the insertion of the locking pin 27 will be impossible.
Moreover, it is difficult to set the welding aim position. Further, when intending to prevent the dropping of the weld bead, it is difficult to maintain an appropriate attitude for the welding operation.